brockett



Sept. 13, 1932.

B. W. BROCKETT WASTE RECLAMATION APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13. 1929 lll'alllll.

INVENTOR 520/090 Ali/Pawn? ATTORNEYS Sept} 13, 1932. B. w. BRQCKETT 1,876,603

' WASTE RBCLAMATION APPARATUS Filed March 1:5, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet '2 ATTORNEYS Sept- 1932- B. W.-BROCKETT 1,876,603

WASTE RECLAMATION APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 13, 1932 innrrn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BLUFORD w. nnooxnrr,

on CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, onro, nssrenon T RAILWAY SERVICE AND SUPPLY CORPORATION, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA WASTE nno z-nvrnrion APPARATUS Application filed March 13, 1929. Serial No. 348,724.

ing units separated from each other for maintaining oil grade and air treatment separation and each adaptedto spray oil an heated air through the packing to remove from the packing the lint, dirt and other undesirable material.

Another object of the invention is to couple this type of renovator Within a plant arrangement with suitable extractors. for re ducing the oil content ofthev packing to a minimum known value termed .fiber saturation, so that thereafter the waste part of the packing may be properlyimpregnated in another part of the plant with new oil or renovated oilwhich has been reclaimed or renovated and possibly after being used in the earlier steps or stages of the present packing reclamation system.

The specific invention is disclosed'in the following description, drawings and claims. I In the drawings, Fig. 1 is atop plan view of the washer; Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section and partly broken away; Fig. 3 is a vertical section upon the line m00 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 shows in a schematic way a plant employing this renovating system.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings 1 represents a suitable base forming a support for a part ofthe entire renovating apparatus which consists of a plurality of units or casings arranged intandem, either next to each other or in any suitable convenient arrangement. The first unit, No. 1, comprises the rectangular tank 2 of suitable height with a funnel-shape top 3 leading to a circulating stack 4, the latter receiving a motor driven fan unit 5 adapted toproject air downward 59 through a heating coil 6 arranged at the bottom of the stack. The end wall of theicasing 2 isprovided with an upper conveyor opening 7 and alower conveyor opening 8 adapted to receive the two stretchers of :the conveyor. as will appear. These openings .7 and 8 are the casing 2 for the same purpose.- Below and at one side of the lower openings 8 is a suitable hopper-shaped botto1n9 adapted to direct the oil passing downward into sump duplicated on the opposite side of 10 below the base 1. Extending downward into the sump 10 is an oil pump inlet pipe 11' leading to an oil pump 12 having its-discharge 18 extending upward and connected d to the pipe 14: extending across unit No. 1

below the heater. This pipe has a central discharge 15 connected by a swivel joint 16 with a revolving spray pipe 17 arranged above the conveyor, as will appear. This spray pipe is driven through suitable gearing indicated ail-18 by a motor 19 the speed of which may be varied to produce the proper spraying function. T

Adjacent the unit No. 1 andv preferably using thesame common wall is the unit case ing 20 similar in all respects to the casing 2 and provlded at its upper end with a similar fan and heater unit. Casing 20 is also provided with a hopper bottom 21 which, at its lower central point, is connected to a drain pipe 22 controlled by a valve 23 and connected to the sump 10. At the proper time the contents of the lower portion of unit No. 2 may be discharged into the sump 10. In other words, when'the oil in this unit becomes unduly contaminated it may be discharged from it into the sump thereafter there used upon the dirty packing as it enters the plant. Connected to a low point of unit No. 2

is a pump 24 similar to the pump 12 and connected in the same manner in unit No. 2. This unit, of course, has openings in its sides similar to and in alignment with the openings 7 and 8.

Adjacent unit No. 2 is unit No. 3 comprising the casing similar in all respects to the other casings except that it is provided with an inclined bottom 26, with the inclination being from right to left, as shown in the drawings, that is, toward unit No. 2 to pro vide a sump space at the low point. Extending into this sump space is the longer leg of a siphon 27, the shorter leg extending to ward the hopper bottom of unit No. 2. This unit is also provided with an oil pump and spray pipe identical with those already employed in units No. 1 and No. 2. In like manner adjacent unit No. 3 is unit No. 4 comprising the casing 28 similar in all respects to unit 25 and provided with siphon 29 similar to siphon 27. In this instance a supply pipe 30 supplies oil'to the spray pipe, said supply pipe leading from a renovated oil supply, aswill appear. 7

The hopper bottoms 9 and 21 and the inclined bottoms 26 and 30 are respectively arranged in lateral casing extensions 2, 20, 25 and 28, each such casing extension communicating with its own'unit casing through an opening 31, Fig. 3. A suitable battle or inclined plate 32 in each casing extends downward from the opposite wall into the extension through the opening 31 in each to a screen 33arranged above the bottom. In the case of units No. 1 and No. 2 these screens would be above the hopper bottoms 9 and 21, Whereas in the case of units No. 3 and No. 4 the screens would be above the inclined hottoms 26 and 30. The siphons 27 and 29 are also arranged out in these extensions.

Rotatably mounted at the left end of the plant, as shown, or ahead of unit No. 1 is a conveyor shaft 34 supporting a conveyor drum 34 which receives the bite of a reticulated conveyor 35 extending through the openings 7 and 8 in all of the r-enovator casings to the opposite end of the plant where is passes around another drum 36 mounted upon the shaft 37 provided with a sprocket or pulley 38 driven by a chain or belt 39 in turn driven by a motor 40. It will be understood from the foregoing that the inbound dirty packing is spread upon the upper bite of the conveyor as it moves at the proper speed into the renovator.

As the dirty packing enters the first unit, it is subjected to a downward spray of oil from the spray device and a current of heated air is also driven down upon said packing and through it. In this unit much of the undesirable materials, such as lint, dirt, etc., are washed out or otherwise removed. Some draining may also occur in this unit as the mat of packing passes from under the spray. The main body of the removed undesirable material and the draining oil strike the baffie plate 32 and pass onto the screen 33 above one side to the hopper 9. Oil and the finer materials removed will pass through the screen down into the sump 10, the dirty oil from the sump being used over again for the first stage of spraying until it becomes contaminated to the point of requiringrenovation.

From the first unit the mat of packing travels into the second unit where it is again subjected to a downward blast of oil and heated air and is thus washed. The oil used in this stage must be maintained in a less polluted state or in a cleaner state in order to gather up additional undesirable material from the packing. It should never be permitted to reach in undesirable content that of the packing leaving the first stage. Here the dirty oil and undesirable material is directed by the baflie 32 to the corresponding screen 33 which collects part of the undesirablematerial, the dirty oil passing out into the hopper bottom 21 from which it may be drained at the proper time by pipe 22 into the sump 10.

On leaving unit No. 2 the mat of packing enters unit No. 3 where it is again subjected to a blast of cleaner oil and a stream of heated air. In this case. the undesirable material and oil are conveyed by the corresponding baffle 32 to the screen 33 and thence to the compartment above the inclined bottom 26. As the oil builds up in this compartment it finally starts the siphon 27 and the oil in this third-unit is reduced in quantity by some of it passing into the preceding compartment, that is, the compartment of unit No. 2, above the hopper bottom 21 thereof. On leaving unit No. 3 the packing passes to unit No. 4 where it is again treated by a blast of still cleaner oil and heated air, the oil in this case being supplied to the spray being renovated or new oil. As the oil builds up in the bottom of unit No. 4 it starts the siphon 29and some of the oil passes into unit No. 3, or, if this be full, both of the siphons start anddump in series into the unit No.2 from whence the oil is drained to the sump 10.

It is obvious that the number of units may be increased or decreased as desired until substantially all of the undesirable material is washed or removed from the packing and it leaves the last unit in cleaned or renovated condition and impregnated with oil ready for use.

The foregoing renovator also lends itself to use in a plant installation wherein adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor there are suitable extractors 41 which may receive the saturated packing from the renovator and extract the oil therefrom'to a known minimum amount or what may be termed fiber saturation. From these extractors the extracted oil is led to a suitable storage tank 42 which is connected to and supplies the pipe 30 of the last renovator unit. tank 42 receives its oil by means of a pipe 42 from any suitable oil renovating plant indicated at 43 and connected by a pipe 44 to the sump 10. Connected to the pipe 42 is a pipe 45 leading to a waste impregnator 46 of any preferred type.

In a plant of this type the inbound dirty This ing an inlet and an outlet end, con means for supporting thereon in f journal box packing and for conveying same through said casing structure. from its inlet end to its outlet end, a plurality of oil discharging devices arranged in said casing structure along the path of said conveyor means, an oil storage compartment for each of said oil discharging devices and adapted to receive therefrom at least some of the oil discharged thereby, means for supplying eac,

of said oil discharging devices with oil from its oil storage compartment, whereby said devices may be supplied with. oil for discharge upon the mat of packing while it is being conveyed through. said casing structure, said storage compartments from the inlet end of said casing structure toward the outlet end thereof containing oil in increasing states or conditions of cleanliness, and means for pro-- viding oil flow communication between said compartments, the communication being such that each compartment discharges directly into the preceding compartment and the cischarge from at least some of said compart ments being automatically effected when the oil in said compartments reaches a predetermined height. 7

2. Apparatus for reclaiming journal box packing, comprising a casing structure hav ing an inlet end and an outlet end, conveyor means for supporting thereon in mat form journal box packing and for conveying the same through said casing structure from its inlet end to its outlet end, a plurality of oil discharging devices arranged in said casing structure along the path of said conveyor means, an oil storage compartment for each of said oil discharging devices and adapted to receive therefrom at least some of the oil discharged thereby, means for supplying each of said oil discharging devices with oil from its oil storage compartment, whereby said devices may be supplied with oil for discharge upon the mat of'packing while it is icing conveyed through said casing structure, said storage compartments from the inlet end of said'casing structure toward the outlet end thereof containing oil in increas ing states or conditions of cleanliness, and siphons for providing oil flow communication between said compartments, said siphons being arranged so as to cause the oil in a compartment, upon reaching a predetermined height therein, to flowv into the preceding compartment, whereby each such preceding compartment receives oil in a cleaner state or 3. Apparatus for reclaiming journal box packing, comprlsmg a casingstructure havlngan inlet end and an outlet end, conveyor means for supportin thereon in mat form each of said oildischarging devices with oil from its oil storage compartment, whereby said devices may be supplied with oil for dis charge upon the mat of packing while. it 1s being conveyed through said casing structure,

said storage compartments from the inlet end ofsaid casing structure toward the outlet end thereof containing Oll in increasing states or conditions of cleanliness, means for pro condition than that which it then contains.-

viding direct oilfl'ow communication between said compartments, the communication being i such that each compartment discharges directly into the preceding compartment, whereby each such preceding compartment receives oil in a cleaner state or condition than that which it then contains, and means for sub'ectin said mat of aackin while it is being conveyed through said casing structure, to the cleansing and agitating effects of air currents: i

4;. Apparatus for reclaiming journal box packing, comprising a casing structure havingan'inlet end and an outlet end, conveyor means for supporting thereon-in mat form journal box packing and for conveying the same through said casing structure from its inlet end to its outlet end, a plurality of oil discharging devices arranged in said casing structure'along the path of said conveyor means, an oil storage compartment for each of said oildischarging devices and adapted to receive therefrom at least some of the oil discharged thereby, means for supplying each of said oil discharging devices with oil from itsoil storage compartment, whereby said devices may be supplied with oil for discharge upon the mat of packing while it is being conveyed through said casing struc ture, said storage compartments from the inlet end of said casing structure toward [the outlet end thereof containing oil inincreasing states or conditions of cleanliness, means for providing direct oilflow communication between saidcompartments, the communication being such that each compartment discharges directly into the preceding compartment, whereby each such preceding compartment receives oil in a cleaner state or condition than that which it then contains, and a plurality of means, one a- 5 cent and therefore cooperating with each of said oil discharging devices, for causing said mat of packing, while it is being conveyed through said casing structure, to be subjected to the cleansing and agitating effects of heated air currents. Y

5. Apparatus for reclaiming journal box packing, comprising a casing structure having an inlet end and an outlet end, means for supporting thereon in mat form journal box packing and for conveying the same through said casing structure from its inlet end to its outlet end, a series of oil discharging devices arranged in said casing structure along the path of said conveyor means, a series of oil storage compartments, one for each of said oil discharging devices and adapted to receive therefrom at least some of the oil discharged thereby, means for supplying each of said oil discharging devices, except the one nearest the outlet end of said casing structure, with oil from its oil storage compartment, means for supplying said oil discharging device nearest said casing structure outlet end with oil from a separate oil supply, whereby all of said oil discharging devices may be supplied with oil for discharge upon the mat of packing, while it is being conveyed through said casing structure, said storage compartments from the inlet end of said casing structure toward the outlet end thereof containing oil in increasing states or conditions of cleanliness and said separate oil supply containing oil of a still greater state or condition or" cleanliness, means for providing direct oil flow communication between said compartments, the communication being such that each compartment discharges directly into the pre ceding compartment, whereby each such preceding compartment receives oil in a cleaner state or condition than that which it then contains, and an oil renovator having oil receiving communication with the first one 01 said oil storage compartments, namely, the compartment nearest the inlet end of said casing structure, and having oil delivery communication with said separate oil supply.

6. Apparatus -lfor reclaiming journal bofr packing, comprising a casing structure having an inlet end and an outlet end, a general.- ly horizontally disposed endless conveyor for supporting in mat form on its upper stretch journal. box packing and for conveying the same through said casing structure from its inlet end to its outlet end, a plurality of oil discharging devices arranged in said casing structure along the path of said endless conveyor, an oil storage compartment for each of said oil discharging devices and adapted to 65-receive therefrom at least some oi the oil discharged thereby, said storage compartments having their mouths located at one side of said endless conveyor, a screen covering the mouth of each compartment, means for supplying each of said oil discharging devices with oil from its oil storage compartment, whereby said devices be supplied with oil for discharge upon the mat of packing while it is being conveyed through said 'casing structure, and inclined deflector plates signature.

BLUFORD W. BROCKETT. 

